Rudder mechanism for airships.



W. M. WEBBER.

RUD DER MECHANISM FOR AIRSHIPS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1915.

L165fi31. Pafnted Dec. 28, 1915.

I v Z0 1 U4 @-4 a t W15 W the man n WILLIAM M. WEBBER, OF GROVELAND, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-FOURTH TO HENRY SHEPPARD AND ONE-FOURTH TD ELIZABETH ELZENA SHEPPARD, BOTH OF GROVELAND, FLORIDA.

RUDDER MECHANISM FOR AIR-SHIPS.

\ Specification of Letters Patent.

application filed March 12, 1915. Serial No. 13,923.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. WEBBER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Further objects of the invention are to ,provide an airship rudder which is-comparatively simple and inexpensive in. its

construction, which can be easily manipulated by the operator, which is dependable in its action, and which is not liable to be broken or get out of repair.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawmgs, in which:

Figure .1 is a side elevation of a portion of an airship provided with a rudder constructed in accordance with the invention, therudder being shown in one position by full lines and in anadjusted position by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the rudder mechanism, showing the same as detached from the airship. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View through the rudder mechanism, portions being broken away. B

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The subject-matter of this application has been divided out from my copending a plication for improvements in airships,

erial No; 879,913, filed December 31, 1914.

Referring to the drawings which serve to the machine in any direction.

illustrate one possible embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates an elongated gasbag,and2supportingplanes which pro ect laterally from opposite sides of the gas bag, both the gas bag and supporting planes being mounted upon and held in proper relat1ve position by means of a frame 3. A. suit able boat 4 is arranged under the gas bag 1 and supporting planes 2, and suspended from the frame 3 by means of suitable hangers and brace members 5. Any suitable lifting and driving means, such as that illustrated in my copending application, Serial No. 87 9,913, may be mounted upon the boat.

The present invention. resides more parmounting of the rudder mechanism which Patented names, 1915. Original application filed December 31, 1914, Serial No. 879,913. Divided and this is employed for directing the movements of the airship when in motion and causing the same to turn to the right or to the left, or up or down. The rudder member is shown as comprising four wings 13 which are ar ranged at right angles to each other and radiate from the axis of a rudder post or stem 14, such a construction enabling the rudder to be effectively used for guiding The rudder supporting frame is mounted upon the rear end of the boat 4 and includes a pair of spaced heads 15 connected at their lower edges by a suitablebase 16. Should the supporting frame project rearwardly from the boat, as in the present instance, the overhanging rear end thereof can be supported by a suitable brace 14*. The forward end of the rudder stem or post 14 projects loosely through an opening in one of the heads 15, while the operating lever 19 projects loosely through a similar opening 20in the opposite head 15. Both the rudder post 14 and operating lever 19 are mounted to have a universal swinging movement, and when adjusted to direct the airship straight ahead are in alinement with each other. Suitable thrust joints are provided for preventing the rudder post 14 and operating lever 19 from being pulled longitudinally from the heads 15. As indicated upon the drawing, the rudder post 14 is provided with an annular enlargement or thrust collar 21 which engages the inner face of the head 15 and bears loosely against the same. A similar enlargement or thrust collar 22 is applied to the operating lever 19 so as to bear loosely against the inner face of the opposite head 15. I

The inwardly projecting ends of the rudder post 14 and operatin lever 19 are connected by a series of flexlble cables 23, said cables passing around suitable guide members such as'the pulleys 24 applied to the opposite heads 15.' The portions of the cables 23 between corresponding guide pulleys 24 upon the. opposite heads 15 are parallel to each other and to the normal position of the rudder post and operating lever, and the cables are adapted to move freely around the guide pulley so that an movement of the, operating lever will be instantly transmitted to the rudder. As soon as the operating lever ,is swung into an angular position. the rudder post is swung. into a corresponding angular position, so that the aviator has the rudder under his complete control and can instantly swing the rudder into any desired angular position for guiding the machine up and down or laterally in passing in a similar manner through the opposite head so as to be disposed normally in alinement with the rudder post, thrust joints between the rudder post and operating lever and the respective heads, correspond ing guide members upon the two parallel heads, cables passing around the corresponding guide members and havin the extremi-' ties thereof connected to the mwardly projecting ends of the rudder post and operating lever, respectively, so that when the operating lever is moved an identical swinging movement is given to the rudder post, and a rudder member mounted upon the rudder ing lever extending loosely through the openin of the opposite head, thrust collars applie to the rudder post and operating lever respectively so as to engage and bear loosely against the inner faces of the respective heads, corresponding guide members upon the heads, cables passing around the corresponding guide members and having the gxtremities thereof connected to the inwardly projecting ends of the rudder post and operating lever, respectively, so that when the operating lever is moved an identical movement is imparted to the rudder post, and a rudder member upon the rudder 0st. P 3. A rudder for airships, including a frame formed with spaced and parallel heads having corresponding openings therein, a rudder post extending loosely through the opening of one of the heads, a loose joint between the rudder post and the-head so that the former is free to swing in all directions, an operating lever extending loosely through the openlng in the opposite head, a loose oint between the operating lever and opposite head so that the lever is free to swing in all directions, two sets. of

correspondingly disposed guide members mounted upon the respective heads, cables passing around corresponding guide members of the two sets and having the extremities thereof connected to the ends of the rudder post and operating lever respectively so that when the operating lever is moved an identical movement is imparted to the rudder post, and a rudder member applied to the'rudder post.

In testimony whereof'I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM M. WEBBER. Witnesses G. W. Woons, JAMES H. MARK. 

